


Traveling Melodies and Spotlights

by nctinee



Series: Erlebnisse [6]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Bittersweet but it's more sweet, Donghyuck plays the piano and sings a song, I call Donghyuck beautiful on several occasions, Lots of tears, Mark's graduation party, Mentions of Attempted Suicide, They're best friends, but maaaaaaaybe there's something more?, but where's the lie tho?, i wrote this in two hours
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-08 02:53:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20287312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nctinee/pseuds/nctinee
Summary: Mark is graduating, and Donghyuck isn't good with his words.So he sings to him instead.





	Traveling Melodies and Spotlights

**Author's Note:**

> I can imagine Hyuck singing this song so vividly and it makes me emo. I also apologize all I've been writing is ships....I promise ot21 is next
> 
> Update 10/11/19 - This is irrelevant but when I wrote this I had no idea that Hyuck sang Promise at Mark's graduation and that kinda scares me

He takes a breath, and closes his eyes for a moment, preparing himself to bout out all the emotion through the keys on the piano and the tune of his voice. His eyes snap open, and he starts to play.

The piano and small stage are illuminated by one spotlight, shining on Donghyuck's skin, making him look ethereal and angelic as he plays. Everyone in the audience is captured, stuck in time as the notes flow through the room and create a mellow atmosphere.

Then he takes a breath, and starts to sing.

_ "There goes my heart beating _

_ Cause you are the reason," _

And someone in the audience gasps, because they were helping Donghyuck practice this song, but didn't know why. It makes sense now,  _ too much  _ sense.

_ "I'm losing my sleep _

_ Please come back now," _

Donghyuck plays delicately, foot tapping to the beat, voice light and airy but carrying an emotion only few can identify. He's been practicing for months, wanting to get every note and every beat perfect to hit the heart of every person in the audience. He's nervous, but shoves it down.

_ "There goes my mind racing _

_ And you are the reason _

_ That I'm still breathing _

_ I'm hopeless now," _

Someone's starting to sniffle, because reality is setting in, and they realize why Donghyuck is there in the first place. His eyes are closed as his fingers dance over the keys, head nodding along to the music that has everyone stuck to their seats.

_ "I'd climb every mountain  _

_ And swim every ocean _

_ Just to be with you _

_ And fix what I've broken _

_ Oh, cause I need you to see _

_ That you are the reason," _

Donghyuck looks to the audience and sees the face he did this for, and everything feels like it's breaking inside him, but he patches himself up, then starts the next verse

_ "There goes my hands shaking _

_ And you are the reason  _

_ My heart keeps bleeding  _

_ And I need you now," _

It's just Donghyuck on the stage, but it feels like there are thousands up there, steadily building and building the sounds and emotions until it'll collapse onto everyone in the room.

_ "If I could turn back the clock _

_ I'd make sure the light defeated the dark _

_ I'd spend every hour, of every day _

_ Keeping you safe," _

Donghyuck still looks as beautiful as ever, and he isn't nervous anymore.

_ "I'd climb every mountain  _

_ And swim every ocean _

_ Just to be with you _

_ And fix what I've broken _

_ Oh, cause I need you to see _

_ That you are the reason," _

He closes his eyes and holds the last note, bottom lip wobbling slightly as he tries to hold back tears. He knows other people are crying too, and it spurs him on to finish the song with as much energy as he can muster.

_ "I don't wanna fight no more _

_ I don't wanna hide no more _

_ I don't wanna cry no more _

_ Come back I need you to hold me _

_ Come a little closer now _

_ Just a little closer now _

_ Come a little closer _

_ I need you to hold me tonight," _

It's still delicate, the way he hits the keys, and everyone can feel the love and the sorrow from the way he sings. Those feelings burrow in the hearts of the audience, and they take one collective breath as he sings once more.

_ "I'd climb every mountain  _

_ And swim every ocean _

_ Just to be with you _

_ And fix what I've broken _

_ Oh, cause I need you to see _

_ That you are the reason," _

No one dares take a breath for a minute, lest they break the fragile atmosphere. Donghyuck is breathing a little hard and opens his eyes to the audience, and beams when they slowly start clapping. They start standing, yelling and whistling and cheering as he stands and bows, most with tears on their cheeks.

One person though, can't move. He's frozen there with wide eyes and a gaping mouth while everyone moves around him. There's one line repeating over and over in his head, and it makes everything foggy. Someone's jostling him, shaking his shoulder and waving their hand in front of his face, trying to get his attention.

The fog clears and he looks up to see Donghyuck looking at him, undeniable fondness in his eyes. He starts speaking from his spot at the front of the stage, still looking at him.

"I did this for you, Mark, because you  _ are _ the reason." A tear falls down his cheek. "You have been by my side for so long and have supported me in every way possible, so I wanted to do this for you.

"You are the reason that I'm standing on this stage Mark, because you believed in me. You are the reason I'm breathing right now because you pulled me off of that bridge. You are the reason I'm  _ okay _ now, because you stayed. You are the reason I've come up on this stage tonight because you love so endlessly and so openly, and have spent every minute of your life smiling. You are the reason that we're  _ all  _ here because we love you. And I know you're worried about college and moving on from all of us, but we're gonna be here. 

"We're all going to support you because that's what you've done for us, and it's time we repay the favor. Your time at high school is over, yeah, but your time as an adult," he chuckles, "has just begun. We're gonna grow up and get old and still  _ live _ because that's what we have to do. Stuff is gonna change, and we will change with it. But I'm going to be there for you, and you'll be there for me, and so will everyone else in this room. 

"You're graduating, so what? It's only one step you're taking, but we're gonna take it with you, sooner or later. So keep smiling, because you are the reason."

And Donghyuck smiles at him, still looking beautiful with tears on his cheeks, and Mark doesn't even hesitate to shoot up from his chair and leap up to the stage, crashing into his best friend. 

**Author's Note:**

> I went a little ambiguous for this one, and I will confess to writing this in two hours. I did actually proofread this time, so I think it's good? This one might be my favorite so far....
> 
> On another note, my 1 year kpop anniversary is on the 20th of August so I'm a lil early, but wow! Has my life changed.
> 
> And I would like to thank those of you that look forward to me updating this series, and to those of you that read this just for fun. I sincerely appreciate it. Have a good day/night y'all, and I hope you enjoyed.


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